Type-writing machines.



No. 639,660.- Pate nted Dec. I9, I899.

L. s. BUBRIDGE. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet L (III/WWWm: NORRIS PETERS ca. Puoro-urna, wnsnwercm n, c.

N0. 639,660. Patented Dec. [9, I899. L. S. BUBRIDGE.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 2.

THE mums PETERS co. PHoYo-urna, WASNINGTDN, n, c

9 9 mm m! E e D d e t n e l a DI .L G D" R u B S L flw 6 7 9 3 6 0 NTYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1898.) A

4 SheetsSheet 4.

(No Model.)

m wi m THE. NORRIS PErERs c0. m-(o'mum WASHINGTON u c NITED. STATESPATENT EEICE.

LEE s. BURRIDGE, on NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE CENTURY MACHINECOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHIINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,660, dated December19, 1899.

Application fi March 26, 1898. Serial No- 6'75,270. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, LEE S. BURRIDGE, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type -WritingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in certain improve ments upon or modificationsof the typewritin g machines set forth and claimed in Letters Patent No.585,838, dated July 6, 1897, and No. 593,563, dated November 16, 1897,both granted to Lee S. Burridge. It also embodies various features,details, and combinations original in themselves and independent of theBurridge constructions.

The improved machine is illustrated in accompanying drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 2, a side elevationwith the skirt of the base-plate broken away to show the parts beneathsaid plate; Fig. 3, a vertical section from front to rear on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking towardthe rear of the machine; Fig. 5, a perpective view of one type-bar withits supporting and actuating mechanism; Fig. 6, a detail view of aball-and-socket joint used to connect parts of said mechanism; Fig.7, aperspective view, and Fig. 8 a top plan view, of the type-bar guide;Fig. 9, a perspective view of the inking roller.

The invention is susceptible of embodiment in framework of varyingdesign and proportions; but that represented in the drawings ispreferred because of its simplicity and compactness. Thisconsists,essentially,ofa base 1, with a depending skirt 2, with orwithout feet 3, the skirt serving to raise the bed-plate sufficiently topermit the placing of portions of mechanism thereunder and to protectsuch mechanism.

At the front of the bed-plate 1 there is a vertical wall or shield 4,which serves to protect the mechanism and to support portions therethe'of,for which latter purpose it is provided with a series of arms 5,arranged in pairs, as seen in Fig. 1.

At the rear side of the bed-plate and extending across the same fromside to side is a raised support and feed the paper.

runway 6, which serves as a track or guide for a carriage 7, bearin g aroller or platen 8 to The front and rear vertical walls of the track orrunway 6 are undercut to receive supporting and guiding lugs or rollers9, which project inward from the depending skirt of the carriage, asseen in Fig. 1, though obviously any other usual mode of mounting thecarriage and guiding it may be adopted.

It is desirable that the carriage be prevented from lifting from itsways, or, in other words, that the lugs or rollers 9 be held down uponthe lower walls of the grooves in order that the platen may move in astraight line and without rising and falling. This result is insured byproviding the under side of the carriage with a longitudinal bar10,having aprojecting flange or ledge, and arranging a light bow-spring11 to engage over said flange, the

spring being made fast to the top of the run-v way 6, as seen in Figs. 2and 3. The spring further serves to produce a slight degree offriction,sufficient to prevent thecarriage from being advanced too farthrough the momentum acquired in letter-space feeding.

The paper-roll or platen 8 is provided at one end with a ratchet-wheel12, which is engaged bya dog or pawl 13, carried by a lever 14,fnlcrumed on the platen-axle or coincia 'dently therewith, as seen inFigs. 1 and 2.

A stop-arm l5, pivoted to one of the standards in which the platen-axleis carried and which has two stop-faces at different distances from itspivot, serves to arrest the lever 14 and to determine its range ofmovement. One face is so positioned as to permit the lever to carry theplaten the distance for ordinary full-line spacing, while the otherstops it half-way and gives half-line spacing. A spring 15" returns thelever 14, causing it to swing backward and to carry the dog 13 back fromthe tooth last advanced and into engagement with another.

At the forward or inner side of the carriage 7 there is secured arack-bar 16,havin g ratchetteeth on its upper edge, as seen in Figs. 1and 4, with which engages a feeding dog or pawl 17, carried by anelbow-lever 18, fnlcrumed upon the carriage runway or base, as shown inFig. 4, which runway, it should be observed, is movable toward and fromthe front and rear of the machine. A spring 19 tends constantly to movethe vertical arm of lever 18, and consequently dog 17, in the directionin which the carriage travels in letter-spacing, and a second andlighter spring 20 serves to draw the free end of the dog downward and tohold it in engagement with the teeth of the rack-bar. A pin or stud 21,projecting from the side of dog 17 and playing in a notch or opening ina post orplate 22, serves to prevent the undue rise of the free end ofthe dog, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 4.

Rising from the carriage runway or base, midway between the endsthereof, are two uprights 23, each carrying an inwardly-projecting arm24. (Best shownin Figs. 7 and 8, but also seen in Figs. 3 and 4.) Thesearms are provided with or are fashioned into guideblocks 25, which aredesigned to guide and to steady the type-bars in their movements to theprinting-point and to hold them against play in any direction while theprinting is being done.

Formed with or secured to the uprights 23 and extending upward in thespace between said uprights are two curved and slotted guide-plates 26,separated a distance sufficient to receive between them an inking-roller27 and its carrying-yoke 28. The yoke 28 has a central supporting-stem,the lower end of which is hinged or -pin-jointed to a lever 29, one endof which is carried horizontally to a support 30 on the under side ofthe carriage-runway 6, to which support the lever is pivoted, a lightspring 31 being provided to elevate the roller, yoke, and lever and tomaintain them normally in their elevated positions. The axle or centralshaft of the in king-roller 27 has its ends extended outward to enterand traverse the slots of the curved guides or plates 26, as shown inFig. 4, and consequently the roller, it depressed, will follow the pathprescribed by said slots and will return by the same path to its firstor normal position. In descending, the roller will thus pass from aposition over the platen or paper-roll 8 to a position at one sidethereof, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The several parts aremade quite light in order that they may act quickly and without offeringmuch resistance to the type-bars by which they are primarily actuated.

The platen or paper-roll is partially encircled by paper-guides 32, anda bar 33, carried by arms 34, lies upon and presses down the upper endof the sheet of paper. If desired, a spring 35 may bear upon one of thearms 34, and thus cause the bar to press with greater force upon thepaper.

As above noted,the carriage runway or base 6 is itself movable forwardlyand backward] y in or upon the bed or base plate of the machine. Toinsure its easy movement,itis provided on its under side with groovedbars or blocks 36, eiitending at right angles to the length or line oftravel of the paper-carriage, and is supported upon balls 37, which inturn rest in grooved bars or ways 38 in the base of the machine. Thesebars are seen in Figs. 2 and 4, but are omitted in Fig. 3 to avoidconfusion of parts.

The bars or blocks 36 of the carriage-runway 6 are connected therewitheach by a neck 39, passing through a slot or opening 40 in the bed-plateof the machine. (Seen in Figs. 1 and 4.)

To maintain the carriage runway or base normally in a medial position,yet leave it free to be moved forward or backward upon application ofmoderate force, said runway is provided with an arm 41, which extendsdownwardly through an opening in the bedplate of the machine and carriesa laterallyprojecting bowl or roller-stud 42, with which coacts aspring-pressed lever 43. This lever is fulerumed at one end in thebase-frame and bears upon the upperside of the bowl or stud 42 with aforce or pressure aiforded by a spring 44. The lower edge of lever 43has two inclined bearing-faces meeting at their highest points andforming a sort of V notch or seat, the apex of which is normallyoccupied by the bowl or stud, the inclined faces tending always toreturn it to such position.

For the purpose of moving the carriage base or runway, and thereby thecarriage,fo1- ward or backward there is provided a vertical lever 45,the lower arm of which is connected by a bar or link 46 with said baseor runway, while the upper arm is similarly connected with the dependingarm of a shiftlever 47, fulcrumed in a bracket projecting from the wallor shield 4, as seen in Fig. 2. The upper end of the shift-lever 47 hastwo branches, one in front and the other in rear of its pivot orfulcrum, and each is furnished with a suitable finger key or button 48or 49. By depressing the key or button 48 the carriage base or runwayand the carriage will be drawn forward, while by depressing key 49 theywill be receded. In either case they will return automatically to amedial position when the lever 47 is released.

To accurately limit and determine the travel of the carriage-runway andcarriage, screw-stops 50 and 51 are provided, as seen in Fig. 2. v

For the purpose of lifting the dog 17 out of engagement with the rack 16to permit the carriage to be receded without noise or wear of the dog orrack, a flat plate or bar 53 is carried lengthwise of the paper-carriageand arranged to travel beneath a projection 54 on the rear side of thedog, as best shown in Fig. 3, said plate being carried upon journals inthe end standards of the carriage and provided with a lever orfinger-piece 55, by which to tip or rock the plate.

Passing now to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, the con struction, arrangement, andmode of operation of the printing mechanism proper will be explained.This mechanism comprises a series of type-bars 52, each bearing a numberof types or printing characters and capable of a swinging movement or ofa compound swinging and endwise movement, suitable key mechanism beingprovided to effect the movements necessary to bring any one of theprinting characters to the printing position. The drawings show ninetype-bars each with nine bosses or enlargements 106 to bear types orprinting characters, which project from their lower faces, as shown inFigs. 2, 3, and 5; but it is obvious that the number may vary. Whenthree positions of the platen are provided for, the types or printingcharacters are arranged in three groups, a different group to print ineach different position of the platen. So, too, when the type-bars areconstructed and arranged to stand with their pivot-supports normally ina medial position and to be moved forward and backward therefrom toeffect longitudinal movement of the bars there will be three types orprinting characters in each group. Such is the construction andarrangement here illustrated and such will be preferred in use; but itis obvious that the number of positions of the platen and of thepivot-supports of the typebars may be increased or diminished withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Each type-bar 52 has at itspivotal end a fiat block or plate 56, which is pivotally supported andguided by and between the two plates or walls of a carrier 57. Thiscarrier is supported and guided at its inner end by a horizontal rod orstem 58, movable through a guide-plate 59, and is carried at its rear orouter end upon a swinging post or standard 60. The lower end of thestandard is formed with a long sleeve (seen in Fig. 5) to encircle apivot pin or axle 61, projecting laterally from a lug beneath bed-platel, or made in the form of a continuous rod through a series of such lugsand common to the entire series of standards, as found expedient. Thelong bearing thus afforded precludes any appreciable twisting or lateralplay of the standard and insures a right-line movement forward andbackward. The connection between the carrier 57 and the upper end of thestandard 60 is also designed to prevent lateral play, and to this end aslotted ing 62 is made fast to or formed with the carrier, and the upperend of the standard 60 is extended in the direction of movement toafford wide bearing or contact faces between it and the walls of the lug62. In the drawings the carrier is represented as made up of metalplates,with suitable spacingpieces between but obviously it may be castor forged in one piece with the lug 62, or it may be bent up from asingle plate of metal,

with ears or plates to receive the head of standard 60, these being meredetails of manufacture. From the side of each plate or block 56 of theseveral type-bars projects a stud or pin 63, from which a link 64extends to an actuating-lever 65, the ends of the link being constemsand standards, as indicated in Figs. 1 V

and 5. In other words, while the guides and standards are arranged tomove in parallel lines or planes the carriers are arranged in planesradial to a common center. This is not essential, but is advantageous inthat it involves less lateral deflection or bending of the type-barsthan would be incident to an arrangement of the carriers in parallelplanes, with the actuating keys and levers separated the distancenecessary to give proper spread of the keyboard.

There is an actuating-lever 65 for each typebar, and the several leversare arranged parallel to one another, their inner ends being carriedinto slotted posts 66 and fulcrumed upon a common rod 67, as seen inFig.1.

Each lever is of the form shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5-that is to say, itis a lever of the second order-and has at a point between its ends adownwardly-extending arm 68, to

which is attached one end of a coiled or spiral;

The springs 69 serve to ele- Y 69 to be located below the bed or baseplate of the machine, where there is ample space for long and elasticsprings and where they do not at all interfere with the free and propermovement of the type-bars, their carriers, or their actuating devices.

70 indicates a plate, of met-a1 or other thin but strong material,standing in a vertical plane and pivotally connected with the forward orpower end of lever 65, there being one such plate for each lever. Inaddition to the support and guidance afforded by the levers 65 eachplate 7 O (hereinafter-designated as shifter-plates has its outer orforward edge extended into and guided by one or another of the slottedarms 5, projecting inward from the wall or shield 4 and hereinbefore' toguide and to retain in place the shifterpl'ate, though permitting it tofreely rise and falland to rock or tip to the slight extent necessary toenable it to follow the movements of lever 65. v

Each shifter-plate 70 has three slots 73, 74, and 7 5, the first ofwhich is straight, or practically so, while the other two are parallelwith the first in their upper portions and then converge and join thecentral slot at a point somewhat above its lower end.

Each carrier 57 is formed with a forwardlyextending arm 76, providedwith a lateral stud 77 to enter the slot 73 of the shifterplatebelonging to such carrier, the stud resting normally in the lower end ofsaid slot, as in Figs. 2 and 5. The branch slots are guarded andnormally closed to the stud 77 by gates or directing-fingers 78 79,formed upon levels 80 and 81, pivotally supported upon the shifter-plateand provided, respectively, with finger-buttons 82 and 83. The play ofeach lever 81 is limited by a stop-pin 84 or equivalent stop device, andeach is normally held at its highest point by a light spring 85. A thirdfinger key or button 86 is applied directly to the shifter-plate 70. Ifthis button be depressed, it will carry the shifter-plate directlydownward, the mouths of the branch slots being closed by the gates ordirectingfingers 78 and 79; but if pressure be applied to either lever80 or 81 through its button 82 or 83 the gate or directing-finger ofsuch lever will be thrown across the central slot and away from themouth of its own slot, thereby preventing the stud 77 from following thecentral slot and directing it into the one thus opened. As the plate 70is forced to move in an un varying path directly up and down or withinappreciable swinging or rocking movement, it follows that the stud 77will either be held in a fixed position by the vertical walls of thecentral slot 7 3 or moved forward or backward by the inclined walls ofthat branch slot into which it is directed by the gate thrown across itspath. In this, as in the Burridge patent noted, the carrier57 will beconnected with the shifter 70 thus manipulated, will be held againstlongitudinal movement, or will be moved longitudinally forward andbackward, according as one or another finger-key 86, 82, or 83 isdepressed, and of course a longitudinal movement of the carrier involvesa like movement of the typebar mounted in it. In this way, without anyshifting of the platen, the three type or characters of any given groupmay be printed, and each of the groups may be brought into action byoperating the appropriate shift-key or omitting to operate either ofthem, as required.

The actuating-levers 05 have their free forward ends provided with stems87, which are guided in slots or ways in a comb or guideplate 88, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

It has been explained that dog or pawl 17 is carried backward over theteeth of rack 16 of the carriage by elevating the horizontal arm ofelbow-lever 18, being thereafter drawn forward by spring 19 to advancethe carriage one letter-space. It is of course necessary that thisaction take place after the printing of any character and also betweenwords, which result is attained by the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1,2, 3, and 4- and now cX-'- plained.

89 89 indicate two arms secured upon opposite ends of the rod 67, onwhich the actuating-levers 65 are hung or fulcrumed, said arms beingconnected by a rod 80, which crosses the machine just in rear of thedepending arms 68 of the actuating-levers 65. At or near the mid-lengthof rod 67 there is secured an elbow-lever 81, the lower arm of whichforms an additional support or carrier for the rod, while the upper armis connected by a link 92 with one end of a lever 93, pivoted at a pointbetween its ends beneath the bedplate 1 of the machine. The opposite endof lever 93 is provided with a lateral stud 94 to engage with and tolift a like stud 95 of the lever 18. It will be seen that by thisconstruction and arrangement of parts the depression of anyactuating-lever 65 will cause its arm 68 to press backward and downwardthe rod 90, thereby carrying down the upper arm of elbow-lever 91 and,through the connecting link 92, depressing the forward and elevating therear end of lever 93, which, engaging with and lifting the horizontalarm of elbow-lever 18, will carry the dog or pawl 17 back over one toothof the rack-bar 16 and into engagement with a fresh tooth of saidrack-bar. As soon as the actuating-lever 65 is freed from the pressureim'parted through one or another of its controlling finger-buttons theactuatinglever and its finger-buttons are restored to normal position byspring 69 and spring 19 advances dog 17 and with and by it the carriage7.

To effect spacing between words or at the commencement of a paragraph,there is provided a space bar or key 96, which extends across the frontof the keyboard a suitable distance and is carried by vertical rods orstems 97, the lower ends of which are connected by a cross-bar 98beneath the bed of the machine. From the cross-bar 98 a rigid arm 99reaches to and bears upon the projecting end of the rod or pin 100, bywhich connection is made between link 92 and lever 93. From thisarrangement it results that pressure upon the space key or bar 96 willcause the actuation of lever 93 and conse-.

quently of dog 17, the same as is done by the levers 65. The rod isnormally held forward and in contact with the arms 68 of levers 65 bymeans of a spring 101, coiled about rod (57, as seen in Fig. 1.

The type-bars 52 when not in action rest beneath a plate or bar 102,supported by bars 103, secured to plate 59.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a convenient way of forming the universaljoint, by which links 64. are connected with levers 65, two angle-pieces104 and 105 being formed with shallow depressions in their opposingfaces and riveted or otherwise made fast to the lovers 05, as shown,with the ball 106 of the link clasped between them. Any other convenientconstruction may of course be substituted. The inking-roller 27 ispreferably made of felt and saturated with a suitable ink, as is donewith inking rollers and pads of other machines.

It will be noted that the grooves or spaces between thetype-carrying'bosses 106 of the type-bars 52 are just sufficient toreceive the guide-arms 25, which latter, being beveled, guide thetype-bars accurately to the printing point. The bosses preclude endwisemovement of the type-bars after they enter between the guide-arms, andhence the alinement of the type or characters as printed is made andmaintained accurate.

I have shown and described in the ink-roller guides and yoke or supporta construction which is the invention of another and which isnotspecifically claimed herein.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is 1. In a type-writingmachine, the combination of a base or frame; a carriage guide or runwaymounted therein and movable toward and from the front of said base orframe; a stud carried by'said runway; a lever having its face arrangedto bear upon said stud and inclined both ways therefrom; and a springbearing upon the lever and urging the same against the stud; whereby thestud is normally held at or is returned to the meeting-point of the twoinclined faces of the lever when left free from other force, and thecarriage-runway is held normally in its medial position.

2. In combination with bed or base 1, carriage guide or runway 6 bearinga paper-carriage; ways 36 and 38 for said runway; rollers 37 interposedbetween said ways; stud or bowl 42 carried by the runway 6; lever 43bearing upon the stud or bowl 42; spring 44 serving to press lever 43against said stud or bowl; and means substantially such as described andshown for moving the carriagerunway forward and backward from its normalposition.

3. In a type-writing machine, a type-bar support comprising a carrier 57provided with a guide-stem 58; a plate 59 to receive said guide; and aswinging standard or support 60, substantially as shown and described.

4. The herein-described printing mechanism for type-writers consistingof a type-bar 52 provided with a plurality of type or printingcharacters; a pivot-block 56 by which said bar is carried; a carrier 57in which the block 56 is pivoted, said carrier being provided with aguide-stem 58 and with a supporting-standard 60; a guide-plate 59 toreceive the stem 58; an extension 76 projecting from the carrier 57 andprovided with a stud 77; a lever connected with the type-bar block 56bya link 64; a slotted plate 79 carried by the lever 65; gates ordirecting-plates 78 and 79 carried by the plate 7 O and serving to guardthe slots therein; and finger-keys carried respectively by the plate andby the levers 80 and 81 of the gates or directing-plates, substantiallyas set forth.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-bar; a carrierin which said bar is pivoted, movable in a rightline toward and from thefront of the machine; and mechanism substantially such as described andshown for moving said carrier back and forth to varying but determinatedistances and for effecting a swinging of the type-bar about its pivot,said mechanism comprising a plurality of keys, each key adapted to setthe carrier in one of its several positions and to swing the type-barthereof about its pivot.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of carrier 57 providedwith type-bar 52 and guide-stem 58; swinging standard or support 60;lever 65; plate 70 pivotally connected with lever 65 and havingguide-slot 71; pin 72 passing through the guide-slot 71; convergingslots 73, 74 and 75 formed in the plate 70; a stud or pin 77 projectingfrom the carrier 57 into the slot 73; levers 80 and 81 provided withguard-plates 78 and 79; and finger-buttons 86, 82 and 83 carriedrespectively by the plate 70 and by the levers 80 and 81.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a paper-oarriageprovided with a rackbar; a dog adapted to' engage with and advanoe saidrack-bar; a lever carrying said dog; a spring adapted to move the dog inthe direction necessary to advance the carriage; a series of type-bars;a series of levers 65 for actuating said type-bars, each'lever providedwith an arm 68; an elbow-lever 91; a rod carried by said lever and lyingin rear of the arms 68; and a lever 93 connected with said elbow-leverand adapted to act upon the dog-carrying lever and to recede the dog. 8.In a type-writer, the combination with a paper-carriage and mechanismsubstantially such as shown and described for advancing said carriage,of a lever 93 adapted to'act upon said spacing mechanism; a series ofactuatinglevers 65 for swinging the typebars about their pivots; a rod90 located in the path of said levers and adapted to be moved by each;an elbow-lever 91 carrying said rod; and a connection between saidelbow-lever and the lever 93 whereby the movements of theactuating-levers are transmitted through the lever 93 to the spacingmechan ism.

9. In combination with a series of type-bars and their actuating-levers65; carriers 57 for said type-bars, each provided with a stud orprojection 77; slotted plates 70 pivotally connected with the lever 65and guided in the main frame; guards or directing-plates car.- ried bythe plate 70 and serving to direct the projection 77 into one or anotherof the slots of the plate; and finger-buttons carried by the plate 70and the directing-plates, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

10. In combination with a type-bar 52 hav ing a series of bosses 106;guide-arms 25 of a pressed, said support is moved relatively tothickness to fill the space between the bosses theplaten and meanswhereby when either and separated a distance sufficient to permit key isdepressed the type-bar is rocked upon the body of the bar to passbetween them, substantially as shown and described. 1 thereon to theprinting-point.

11. The combination of a platen, a type-bar In witness whereof Ihereunto set my hand having two type arranged longitudinally in thepresence of two Witnesses. thereon; asnpport to which the bar is piviLEE S. BURRIDGE. oted, capable of movement in a right line to- I wardand from the platen; two finger-keys; means whereby when one of the keysis de- \Vit nesses:

THOMAS WA'rsoN, LEON HUHNER.

its pivot to bring the corresponding, character [5

